"The Second Chance Act: The First Five Years" describes the landmark legislation authorizing federal grants to support programs aimed at reducing recidivism and improving outcomes for people leaving prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities. (BJA)

The Excellence in Law Enforcement Research Award recognizes law enforcement agencies that demonstrate excellence in initiating, collaborating on, and employing research to improve police operations and public safety. Applications are due by June 29, 2013. (NIJ)

OVC is seeking public comments on a Federal Strategic Action Plan that outlines a 5-year collaborative, multiphase effort to improve services to victims of human trafficking in the United States. Review the plan, make recommendations to strengthen the plan, and suggest additional items that can be accomplished through collaboration. Submit comments by May 24, 2013. (OVC)

On April 24, 2013, OVC hosted the 2013 National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Ceremony, part of the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 21-27, 2013. At the ceremony, Attorney General Eric Holder honored individuals and organizations for their service to crime victims. Biographies and photos of the honorees are available at the OVC Gallery. (OVC)

NIJ is pleased to announce the winners of phase I of the Body Armor Challenge! Four teams were selected based on their innovative ideas for finding nondestructive ways to test the internal integrity of body armor. (NIJ)

Get e-mail updates from OVC TTAC about professional development opportunities so you can better serve victims of crime. Sign up today to receive the quarterly e-Brief, information about available training and technical assistance opportunities, and upcoming Webinars. (OVC)

Application deadline: May 20, 2013
The Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) is a unique Department of Justice initiative that provides funds to support the purchase of NIJ-approved vests. Applications are being accepted through the electronic BVP system. (BJA)

Application deadline: June 17, 2013
Through the Testing Geospatial Predictive Policing Strategies solicitation, NIJ is seeking research that explores the relationships and disconnects between current geospatial predictive policing strategies and scientific theory. The goal of the proposed research is to demonstrate how empirical results can be used to improve upon or change current theory and practice. (NIJ)

Application Deadline: May 30, 2013
The Law Enforcement: National Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) solicitation seeks applicants that will develop and deliver TTA in three categories to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system. The categories are: Educating the 21st Century Law Enforcement Officer, Increasing Analytical Capacity: Training for the Law Enforcement Executive, and Delivery of Evidenced-Based Violence Reduction Strategies. (BJA)

Application deadline: May 13, 2013
Up to six first-year awards of $35,000 will be awarded to develop State Victim Assistance Academies (SVAA) that will provide comprehensive, academically based, fundamental education and training for victim assistance providers, victim advocates, criminal justice personnel, and allied professionals who routinely work with victims of crime. (OVC)

Application deadline: June 10, 2013
OVC is seeking applications for Bridging the Gap in Victim-Related Research to Practice. One cooperative agreement of $750,000 will be awarded to conduct an assessment of victim service providers to ascertain their level of awareness and knowledge about the benefits of social science research and program evaluation for their work with victims of crime. (OVC)

Application deadline: June 10, 2013
OVC is seeking applications to support services to victims of human trafficking throughout the United States. This program will provide funding to victim service organizations with a demonstrated history of providing trauma-informed, culturally competent services to victims of human trafficking. (OVC)

The BJA-funded Center for Holistic Defense announces its 2013 Grant Awardees. The Center chose six public defender offices to receive its training and technical assistance grants in 2013. Grantees will receive 8 months of step-by-step guidance and concrete assistance in the practice of holistic defense. (BJA)

Application Deadline: May 15, 2013
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is developing a National Sexual Assault TeleNursing Center. MDPH has issued a Request for Response (RFR) for three sites serving rural, tribal, and corrections populations to partner with the center. Enter 305918 in the Search by Keyword field on the Comm-PASS Web site to review the RFR. (OVC)

Application deadline: May 13, 2013
The goal of the DNA Backlog Reduction Program is to help eligible states and units of local government with existing crime laboratories reduce the turnaround time to process DNA samples, increase the capacity of public DNA laboratories, and reduce DNA casework backlogs. (NIJ)

Application Deadline: June 17, 2013
With its Research on Offender Decision-Making grant, NIJ seeks to expand the existing research by examining the process of adult offenders’ decision to offend. NIJ requests proposals that either expand the rational choice model or use other theories (e.g., behavioral economics, business models, psychology, or cognitive models) or both. (NIJ)

Application deadline: June 19, 2013
Proposals are sought for Research and Evaluation on White Collar Crime (WCC), to improve public safety and advance the administration of criminal justice. Applicants must justify the merit of their proposal by describing how it will enhance the WCC knowledge base, address existing research gaps, or contribute to promising prevention or intervention practices in the area of WCC. (NIJ)

Application Deadline: June 3, 2013
The goal of the Sex Offender Management Fellowship Program is to work on multidisciplinary issues to explore and build a foundation for integrating effective prevention and education programming into sex offender management practices and policies, and to determine the current state of sex offender management programming in Indian Country. (SMART)

Application deadline: May 13, 2013
Applicants are sought for the FY 2013 State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP). SCAAP provides federal payments to states and localities that incurred correctional officer salary costs for incarcerating undocumented criminal aliens with at least one felony or two misdemeanor convictions for violations of state or local law, and who were incarcerated for at least 4 consecutive days. (BJA)

Application deadline: June 10, 2013
OVC is seeking applications for the Victim Assistance Professional Development Fellowship Program—Vision 21 Fellowships. This announcement is for two distinct fellowships: the Legal Assistance Fellowship and the Strategic Engagement Fellowship. Up to $135,000 is available for each fellowship, with no more than $95,000 to be allocated for salary. The Legal Assistance Fellowship is open only to attorneys. (OVC)

The April issue of "Justice Today" features an article about the Mortgage Fraud Virtual Conference held April 10, 2013. Other articles discuss the upcoming "Implementation Science and the Importance of Fidelity: Replicating Evidence-Based Practices" Webinar, the "Smarter Sentencing to Reduce Recidivism" regional training, and information on the Pretrial Justice Institute. (BJA)

"OJJDP News @ a Glance, March/April 2013" has been released. This issue’s lead story highlights defense attorney Robert L. Listenbee’s assumption of the leadership of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in March 2013 and more. (OJJDP)

This year, National Correctional Officers’ Week is being held May 5-11. During this time, visit NCJRS’s Correctional Resources Special Feature for materials and related sites that focus on corrections equipment and technology, the health and safety of personnel, staff training, and violence in facilities. (NCJRS)

In recognition of National Police Week, NCJRS invites you to view the Law Enforcement Resources Special Feature. Contained in this online feature are publications and resources that focus on matters of interest and importance to law enforcement personnel, including officer safety and well-being, police equipment and technology, grant and funding resources, and training programs and opportunities. (NCJRS)

BJA, in collaboration with Drug Court Training and Technical Assistance providers, facilitated the first grantee orientation and resources webinar on April 3, 2013. The "Drug Court Grantee Orientation and Resources Broadcast" provides an overview of BJA’s strategic plan as it relates to the drug court discretionary grant program and reviews useful resources to improve service delivery. (BJA)

RTI International, with funding from NIJ, is offering "Technology Transition Workshop: A DNA Revolution—Next Generation Technologies." The goal of this workshop is to disseminate new and innovative technical and scientific knowledge on next generation DNA sequencing technologies to forensic laboratory practitioners. The workshop will take place May 21-23, 2013, in Fort Worth, Texas. (NIJ)

RTI International, with funding from NIJ, is offering the Web-based seminar "Tarnished Gold Standard: Limited Quantity and Degraded DNA—Part I." This seminar will include presentations by Brian Kemp and Angie Ambers. Presentation topics include research on ancient and degraded DNA, and the role of DNA repair and whole genome applications in forensic samples. The seminar will take place on May 7, 14, and 16, 2013, at 1 p.m. ET. (NIJ)

West Virginia University, with support from NIJ, is offering the Applications of Forensic Science for the Legal Professional Webinar series. Upcoming Webinars include "Texas Forensic Science Commission: Justice Through Science," to be held on May 15, 2013, at 1 p.m. ET, and "What Prosecutors and Defense Counsel Need to Know About Eyewitnesses," to be held June 11, 2013, at 1:30 p.m. ET. (NIJ)